Five minutes with: Antti Rousku, Peikko

What do you think are the main challenges facing the Kuwaiti construction industry?

Antti Rousku: Financial issues are currently delaying the project-initiation decisions. Once these issues are solved, the time schedule for the actual construction phase of a project is very short. We need to think about new solutions in construction to shorten the overall timeline shorter without compromising on quality or safety.

What most excites you about the Kuwaiti construction industry?

AR: The number and size of ongoing and planned projects in remarkable. Moreover, the ways in which buildings are designed and developed are developing rapidly. Being involved in the construction business in these circumstances is very exciting.

What topics are you looking forward to discussing at CW: Leaders Kuwait 2017?

AR: I expect to address topics such as speed, quality, and safety. Combining these three elements is a difficult task, but I believe that the leaders in construction already have the solutions available to them. It will be interesting to have an opportunity to discuss these subjects with our industry peers during the summit.

What news can we expect from Peikko in 2017/18?

AR: Peikko’s latest product launches in the Middle East are related to concrete slabs. In 2017, we have started to locally design and manufacture punching reinforcement for solid slabs. Our revolutionary innovation, Deltabeam, is gaining more and more ground in the region. It is a composite beam that can be used with hollow-core slabs to avoid drop-downs in ceilings. These products enable slim floor structures, which create open and flexible spaces, and result in important cost- and time-savings during the construction process.

In 2017/18, Peikko will also focus on its proprietary design software, Peikko Designer, which is free to download from our website. We continue to add advanced functions to this software to make the design process faster and easier.

Why is Peikko supporting CW: Leaders Kuwait 2017?

AR: It is important for the leaders in construction to get together to share their knowledge and innovations, in order to develop the construction business as a whole. Industry leaders are using and adapting the latest construction solutions and techniques, which will make the building industry improve and develop even further in the future.

This year’s conference will take place on Wednesday, 18 October, 2017 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait.